<<Then came the bill on which, suddenly, her credit limit was dropped just enough to make her overlimit. $30 fee was applied (making her even more overlimit) and her interest rate had jumped to a penalty rate because of the overlimit charges. Nothing she could do about it.

Since then I have heard, several other times, of this particular tactic. I guess Jen wasn't the only one it happened to. No, it's never happened to me, either; but it does happen.

Mare>>

I've never heard of this kind of tactic before, and I remain sceptical. I'd be interested to hear if others have heard of this.

I wonder whether such a thing could properly be done under a credit card contract, or whether attacking it would have forced the charges to be eliminated as an error.

But even if its true, it's just more evidence of why debt is a form of risky behavior. While IN THEORY, you should be safe scating to the edge, in fact you run substantial risks of falling, being pushed in or having disaster strike for other reasons.

The Boy Scouts recommend that boys be "helpful, friendly, courteous and kind," among other things. While one reason for practicing virtues such as these is that it makes the world a pleasent place, another reason is intensely practical --- if you behave that way, you greatly reduce the chance of provoking other people into acts of anger and aggression.

In theory, there is nothing illegal about being unhelpful, unfriendly, discourteous and unkind to people. But if you act that way, you are much more likely to come to the attention of the cops, and more likely to wind up in trouble.

Living in debt is similar. You put parts of you life in the hands of other people, who make act unreasonable, arbitrarily or illegally.

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